OHIVERSITY  OF   CALIFORNIA   PUBLICATION 

COLLEGE  OF  AGRICULTURE 

AGRICULTURAL  EXPERIMENT  STATION 
BERKELEY.  CALIFORNIA 


CONTROL  OF  THE  COYOTE 
IN  CALIFORNIA 


BY 

JOSEPH   DIXON 


(Contribution  from  the  Museum  of  Vertebrate  Zoology 
of  the  University  of  California) 


BULLETIN  No.  320 

April,  1920 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  PRESS 

BERKELEY 

1920 


David  P.  Barrows,  President  of  the  University. 


EXPERIMENT  STATION  STAFF 

HEADS  OF  DIVISIONS 

Thomas  Forsyth  Hunt,  Dean. 

Edward  J.  Wickson,  Horticulture  (Emeritus). 

Walter  Mulford,  Forestry,  Director  of  Resident  Instruction. 

Herbert  J.  Webber,  Director  Agricultural  Experiment  Station. 

B.  H.  Crocheron,  Director  of  Agricultural  Extension. 
Hubert  E.  Van  Norman,  Vice-Director;  Dairy  Management. 

James  T.  Barrett,  Acting  Director  of  Citrus  Experiment  Station;  Plant  Pathology. 
William  A.  Setchell,  Botany 
Myer  E.  Jaffa  Nutrition. 
Charles  W.  Woodworth,  Entomology. 
Ralph  E.  Smith,  Plant  Pathology. 
J.  Eliot  Coit,  Citriculture. 
John  W.  Gilmore,  Agronomy. 
Charles  F.  Shaw,  Soil  Technology. 
John  W.  Gregg,  Landscape  Gardening  and  Floriculture. 
Frederic  T.  Bioletti,  Viticulture  and  Enology. 
Warren  T.  Clarke,  Agricultural  Extension. 
John  S.  Burd,  Agricultural  Chemistry. 
Charles  B.  Lipman,  Soil  Chemistry  and  Bacteriology. 
Clarence  M.  Haring,  Veterinary  Science  and  Bacteriology. 
Ernest  B.  Babcock,  Genetics. 
Gordon  H.  True,  Animal  Husbandry. 
Fritz  W.  Woll,  Animal  Nutrition. 
W.  P.  Kelley,  Agricultural  Chemistry. 
H.  J.  Quayle,  Entomology. 
Elwood  Mead,  Rural  Institutions. 
H.  S.  Reed,  Plant  Physiology. 
L.  D.  Batchelor,  Orchard  Management. 
J.  C.  Whitten,  Pomology, 
f Frank  Adams,  Irrigation  Investigations. 

C.  L.  Roadhouse,  Dairy  Industry. 
R.  L.  Adams,  Farm  Management. 

F.  L.  Griffin,  Agricultural  Education. 
John  E.  Dougherty,  Poultry  Husbandry. 
L.  J.  Fletcher,  Agricultural  Engineering. 
Edwin  C.  Voorhies,  Assistant  to  the  Dean. 

fin  co-operation  with  office  of  Public  Roads  and  Rural  Engineering,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture. 


CONTROL  OF  THE  COYOTE  IN  CALIFORNIA 

By  JOSEPH  DIXON 

(Contribution  from  the  Museum  of  Vertebrate  Zoology  of  the  University  of 

California. ) 


POINTS    OF   SPECIAL    INTEREST 

The  economic  status  of  the  coyote  is  dependent  largely  on  locality. 
This  animal  is  not  necessarily  a  "bad  citizen."  On  the  sheep  range 
he  is  a  menace;  in  a  squirrel-infested  country  he  is  a  benefit.  If  we 
kill  off  all  the  coyotes  we  must  face  the  problem  of  ourselves  accounting 
for  the  thousands  of  ground  squirrels  and  jack  rabbits  which  the 
coyote  now  destroys  annually.  The  coyote  stands  second  among  the 
fur-bearers  of  Calfornia,  Certain  prime  pelts  have  recently  brought 
up-to-date  trappers  $20.00  apiece.  In  order  to  bring  such  a  price 
the  pelts  must  be  prime  and  properly  prepared.  Control  rather  than 
extermination  should  be  our  aim  in  most  places.  In  certain  sections 
actual  extermination  may  be  justifiably  striven  for. 

The  following  methods  of  control  have  proved  most  successful: 
trapping ;  poisoning  with  strychnine  in  suet  pellets ;  digging  out  dens 
containing  young. 

Coyotes  have  been  successfully  fenced  out  of  certain  sheep  ranges 
in  Mendocino  County. 

The  bounty  system  is  vastly  expensive,  productive  of  endless  fraud, 
and  does  not  give  general  or  permanent  relief. 

Where  coyote  control  is  needed,  continued,  cooperative  efforts 
between  the  interested  counties  and  the  Federal  government  should 
be  encouraged. 

NATURE   OF  THE   COYOTE 

The  coyote  is  the  most  widely  distributed  as  well  as  the  most 
destructive  carnivorous  animal  now  existing  in  California.  Although 
known  by  sight  to  nearly  everyone,  the  coyote  is  sometimes  mistaken 
for  the  true  gray  or  timber  wolf,  a  much  larger  animal  believed  to 
be  extinct  now  in  this  state.  Coyotes  occur  in  greater  or  less  numbers 
in  practically  every  county  in  the  state. 


380  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

There  are  three  recognized  races  of  the  coyote  in  California.  The 
mountain  coyote  (Canis  latrans  lestes),  often  wrongly  called  "gray 
wolf,"  is  found  in  most  of  northern  California,  and  south  along  the 
higher  parts  of  the  Sierra  Nevada.  The  valley  coyote  (Canis  ochropus 
ochropus)  ranges  throughout  the  foothills  and  lowlands  of  California 
west  of  the  higher  Sierra  Nevada,  and  south  to  the  Mexican  line.  The 
desert  coyote  (Canis  ochropus  estor),  lives  on  the  Colorado  and 
Mohave  deserts,  west  to  Antelope  Valley  and  north  into  Inyo  County. 
The  mountain  coyote,  well-furred,  large  and  aggressive,  is  the  race 
which  is  of  most  economic  importance.  The  valley  and  desert  coy- 
otes, being  more  cowardly,  come  less  in  conflict  with  man's  interests. 
Living  in  the  warmer  districts  of  the  state  their  pelts  also  are  of 
less  value. 
* 

EXTENT  AND  NATURE  OF  DAMAGE 

Livestock,  poultry  and  wild  game  all  suffer  through  depredations 
of  this  animal.  Typical  instances  of  such  depredations  are  as  follows : 
On  the  Churchill  Ranch  near  Dorris,  Siskiyou  County,  in  the  spring 
of  1916,  between  50  and  70  pigs,  valued  at  $4  each,  were  destroyed 
by  coyotes.  Another  rancher  in  Shasta  Valley  in  the  same  county 
had  lost  $250  worth  of  calves,  sheep  and  pigs  each  year  through  this 
animal.  These  are  not  extreme  cases,  and  losses  of  similar  magnitude 
have  been  sustained  by  ranchers,  sheepmen  and  poultrymen  elsewhere 
in  the  state. 

In  addition  to  this  considerable  property  loss  there  is  also,  at 
certain  times,  grave  danger  of  the  spread  of  rabies  by  coyotes.  This 
disease  has  been  readily  transmitted  through  the  bite  of  a  rabid 
coyote  to  horses,  cows,  goats,  dogs,  cats,  and  other  domestic  animals, 
and  in  several  known  cases  directly  to  human  beings  with  fatal  results. 

VALUE  OF  THE  COYOTE  TO  THE  STATE 

Even  a  coyote  has  his  good  points  and  on  a  sound  business  basis 
these  should  be  fully  recognized.  The  coyote  is  now,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  skunk,  the  most  valuable  fur-bearer  in  this  state.  During 
the  open  season  of  1917-18  the  capture  of  1941  coyotes  was  reported 
to  the  State  Fish  and  Game  Commission  by  the  licensed  trappers  of 
California.  A  trapper  operating  in  the  mountains  in  the  south-eastern 
part  of  the  state  reports  the  sale  of  one  lot  of  six  coyote  skins  at  $20 
a  pelt.  Even  higher  prices  than  this  have  been  obtained  for  excep- 
tionally good  pelts  from  other  districts.  Although  the  average  price 
received  for  coyote  skins  last  year  was  considerably  less  than  $10,  it 


Bulletin  320 


CONTROL   OF   THE    COYOTE   IN    CALIFORNIA 


381 


will  be  readily  admitted  that  pelts  taken  at  the  proper  season,  between 
December  1  and  February  15  when  the  fur  is  prime,  have  a  very  con- 
siderable value,  and  this  fact  must  not  be  lost  sight  of  in  any  proposed 
method  of  eradication  or  control. 

Due  credit  must  also  be  given  the  coyote  for  destroying  rodent 
pests,  particularly  ground  squirrels.  An  examination  of  the  stomach 
contents  shows  that  ground  squirrels  form  a  large  part  of  coyotes' 
diet  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year.  The  good  that  they  thus  do  in 
destroying  squirrels,  is,  of  course,  counterbalanced  in  greater  or  less 
proportion  by  their  destruction  of  game  birds  and  mammals.  The  fact 
remains  that  if  we  kill  off  all  the  coyotes,  we  must  face  the  problem  of 
ourselves  accounting  for  the  thousands  of  ground  squirrels  which  these 
animals  now  annually  destroy.  In  certain  instances  coyotes  have 
actually  been  afforded  protection  by  ranchers  on  the  ground  that  they 
were  proving  beneficial  through  the  catching  of  gophers  and  other 
rodents  when  flooded  out  during  the  irrigation  of  alfalfa  fields.  A 
coyote  is  not  necessarily  a  bad  citizen. 

FOOD   AND    FEEDING    HABITS 

The  coyote  is  not  fastidious  about  his  food.  A  list  of  food 
materials  eaten  by  this  animal  would  be  a  lengthy  one  and  would 
include  the  flesh  of  nearly  all  wild  and  domestic  game  birds  and 
animals,  many  insects,  lizards  and  snakes,  and  numerous  varieties 
of  both  wild  and  cultivated  fruits.  Available  food  varies  greatly  with 
the  season  of  the  year  and  the  coyote  is  quick  to  adapt  himself  to 
changing  conditions.  The  following  reports  of  stomach  contents  of 
coyotes  from  Siskiyou  County  will  give  a  fair  idea  of  animal  materials 
eaten. 


Stomach  Contents  of  Coyotes  Trapped  in  Siskiyou  County 

Stomach  contents 
Cottontail  rabbit 
6  young  chipmunks,   1  ear  of 
domestic    sheep,    30    grass- 
hoppers, cowhair 
Digger  squirrels 
Digger  squirrels 
1  Oregon  ground  squirrel 
Oregon  ground  squirrels 
Oregon  ground  squirrels 
Oregon  ground  squirrels 
Pieces  of  cowhide  and  cowhair 
1  rabbit 


Locality 

Date 

Sex 

Butte  Creek  Valley 

June  17 

Female 

Ash  Creek,  MeCloud  Eiver 

July   26 

Female 

Yreka 

September 

Female 

Yreka 

Jan.      4 

Female 

Butte  Creek  Valley 

June     2 

Male 

Butte  Creek  Valley 

June     8 

Male 

Butte  Creek  Valley 

June  18 

Male 

Butte  Creek  Valley 

June  18 

Male 

Yreka 

Jan.    10 

Male 

Yreka 

Jan.    18 

Male 

382  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

The  evidence  given  in  the  accompanying  table  will  be  seen  to  be 
for  the  most  part  favorable  to  the  coyote.  The  evidence  now  given  is 
against  the  coyote.  Mr.  Edward  Shock  of  Hayfork,  Trinity  County, 
reports  having  seen  two  coyotes  run  down  and  catch  a  young  deer. 
Stomach  contents  of  six  coyotes  trapped  at  this  locality  consisted 
largely  of  meat,  bones  and  hair  of  deer.  A  male  coyote  trapped  Janu- 
ary 31,  1918,  by  C.  0.  Fisher,  14  miles  south  of  Douglas,  Trinity 
County,  had  considerable  deer  meat  and  hair  in  its  stomach.  A  large 
male  coyote  was  shot  while  in  the  act  of  attacking  a  flock  of  sheep  by 
Gabriel  Marcelliu  on  August  7,  1917,  at  McAfee  Meadows,  11,600  feet, 
in  the  White  Mountains,  Mono  County.  In  San  Diego  County  a 
coyote  observed  by  the  author  jumped  up  and  snatched  ripe  fruit 
from  the  lower  branches  of  a  prune  tree.  Ripe  grapes  and  water- 
melons were  commonly  eaten  by  coyotes  in  this  locality.  Such  in- 
stances, both  favorable  to  and  against  the  coyote,  could  be  given  in 
numbers,  but  the  important  point  to  remember  is  that  coyotes  may 
be  beneficial  at  one  season  and  harmful  at  another.  However,  any 
fair  estimate  of  the  economic  value  of  any  wild  animal  in  a  given 
locality  must  be  based  on  aggregate  food  material  taken  for  the  year. 
A  coyote  may  be  a  real  asset  in  a  locality  where  gophers  are  working 
in  alfalfa  fields.  The  same  coyote  would  be  a  detriment  in  a  poultry- 
raising  section.  The  economic  status  of  the  coyote  may  therefore  be 
a  question  of  locality,  as  well  as  season. 

BREEDING    HABITS 

The  breeding  season  of  the  coyote  varies  considerably  with  locality. 
Those  living  in  the  low  warm  valleys  breed  several  weeks  earlier  than 
those  living  in  the  mountains.  Mating  has  been  noted  as  early  as  the 
middle  of  January  and  as  late  as  the  first  of  May.  February  and 
March  represent  the  main  mating  season. 

The  period  of  gestation  in  the  coyote  is  nine  weeks  or  63  days,  the 
same  as  in  the  dog. 

Normally  but  one  litter  of  from  three  to  nine  young,  usually  six 
or  seven,  are  raised  each  season.  Second  litters,  however,  are  not 
unknown.  A  female  coyote,  taken  by  the  author  in  the  vicinity  of 
Bakersfield,  Kern  County,  on  May  6,  1918,  showed  plainly  that  she 
had  nursed  young  within  the  previous  twenty-four  hours,  and  there 
was  still  an  abundance  of  milk  in  the  milk  glands.  This  nursing 
female  contained  seven  small  embryos  each  less  than  an  inch  in  length. 
This  specimen  (No.  28722,  Mus.  Vert.  Zool.)  affords  a  reasonable 
basis  for  the  statement  that  two  litters  may  sometimes  be  raised  in 
one  year. 


BULLETIN  320  CONTROL   OF  THE    COYOTE  IN    CALIFORNIA  383 

Breeding  dens  are  carefully  selected  by  the  female  with  a  view 
to  effective  concealment.  The  dens  are  thus  usually  difficult  to  locate 
unless  the  female  is  watched  or  her  tracks  to  the  den  are  followed. 
The  location  and  construction  of  the  den  varies  with  the  topography 
of  the  country,  as  will  be  seen  from  the  following  instances.  At  Red- 
rock  Valley,  Siskiyou  County,  on  June  7,  J.  0.  Miller  found  a  coyote 
den  with  six  pups  about  five  weeks  old.  This  den  was  located  in  the 
base  of  a  dead  fir  stub  about  twenty  feet  high  and  four  feet  in  diameter 
at  the  ground.  The  center  of  the  stub  was  rotten  and  the  nest  cham- 
ber, three  and  a  half  feet  in  diameter,  had  evidently  been  dug  out 
entirely  by  the  parent  coyote.  The  single  entrance  to  the  den  was 
through  a  hole  about  fifteen  inches  in  diameter  at  the  base  of  the 
stub.  No  nest  material  other  than  the  dry  earth  and  rotten  wood 
was  noted  in  this  den. 

At  Earlimart,  Tulare  County,  May  21,  George  Towne  found  a 
coyote  den  on  the  bare  open  plain.  The  distance  from  the  mouth  of 
the  burrow  to  the  nest  cavity  was  twenty-six  feet.  There  were  several 
lateral  extensions  of  the  burrow  and  the  greatest  depth  reached  was 
five  and  a  half  feet.  The  top  of  the  nest  cavity  was  less  than  two  feet 
below  the  surface  of  the  ground.  This  cavity,  some  three  feet  in 
diameter,  contained  five  half -grown  young. 

As  soon  as  young  coyotes  are  able  to  walk,  the  mother  often  moves 
them  from  the  old  den  to  a  new  locality,  and  a  mere  visit  by  a  person 
to  a  den  containing  small  pups  will  frequently  cause  the  mother  to 
abandon  that  den  and  to  carry  the  pups  to  a  new  location  some  dis- 
tance away.  The  male  coyote  may  assist  some  in  procuring  food  for 
the  young,  but  he  apparently  does  not  share  in  the  actual  care  of  them 
until  they  are  of  considerable  size  and  begin  to  learn  to  hunt  for  them- 
selves. 

METHODS    OF    DESTRUCTION 

The  four  most  effective  methods  of  destroying  coyotes  are :  ( 1 ) 
trapping;  (2)  poisoning  with  strychnine;  (3)  digging  out  dens  con- 
taining young;  (4)  shooting. 

WHICH    METHOD    TO    USE 

Trapping  is  a  safe  method,  saves  valuable  pelts,  when  done  at 
the  proper  season,  and  can  be  used  by  anyone  at  any  time. 

Poisoning  with  strychnine  is  advisable  where  coyotes  are  killing 
stock,  or  in  other  cases  where  quick  results  at  any  cost  must  be 
secured.  The  valuable  pelt  of  the  coyote  as  well  as  that  of  other 
fur  bearers  is  almost  sure  to  be  lost  by  this  method. 


384  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

Digging  out  dens  containing  young  is  a  most  effective  method  of 
reducing  the  coyote  population  where  conditions  permit  of  finding 
the  dens. 

Shooting  can  be  resorted  to  advantageously  where  the  destruction 
of  some  certain  "wise"  coyote  is  sought. 

The  best  season  to  destroy  coyotes  depends  upon  the  damage  being 
done,  whether  or  not  the  coyote's  pelt  is  considered  of  value,  and  the 
available  food  supply.  A  coyote  that  is  killing  stock  must  be  disposed 
of  in  the  quickest  way  possible.  However,  if  the  coyote  is  doing  but 
little  damage  why  kill  him  at  a  time  of  year  when  his  hide  is  worth- 
less ?  Why  not  wait  until  his  pelt  is  prime  and  will  bring  a  good  price, 
and  thus  secure  adequate  return  for  the  small  amount  of  damage  the 
animal  may  be  doing  in  the  meantime? 

TRAPPING 

The  senses  of  sight  and  hearing  are  both  very  acute  in  the  coyote, 
yet  both  of  these  are  inferior  to  the  sense  of  smell.  This  highly  devel- 
oped sense  of  smell  combined  with  unusual  cunning  is  the  coyote's 
chief  protection  against  traps  and  poison.  From  the  trapper's  view- 
point, coyotes  may  be  roughly  divided  into  three  classes.  First,  there 
is  the  young  unsophisticated  coyote,  short  in  experience  and  long  on 
appetite.  Such  animals  are  readily  attracted  by  almost  any  bait  or 
scent  and  are  easily  trapped  even  by  the  amateur.  The  second  class 
is  composed  of  ordinary  adults  which  are  usually  wary  but  hungry 
enough  to  secure  food  even  at  some  risk  of  being  caught.  The  third 
class  consists  of  wise  "educated"  coyotes.  Most  of  the  killing  of 
sheep,  calves,  pigs  and  other  domestic  stock  is  done  by  these  old 
reprobates,  which  having  become  "killers,"  bang  around  flocks  and 
herds,  and  secure  their  meat  with  little  effort.  Many  such  coyotes 
have  lost  a  toe  or  foot  in  a  trap  at  some  time  or  other,  and  some  of 
them  will  keep  even  an  experienced  trapper  working  for  weeks  before 
they  are  captured.  Of  sixteen  coyotes  taken  by  a  trapper  in  Scott 
Valley,  Siskiyou  County,  during  the  winter  of  1917,  five  showed  signs 
of  having  been  previously  caught.  Three  of  the  five  had  one  foot 
entirety  gone  and  two  had  lost  part  of  a  foot. 

KIND    OF   TRAP    TO    USE 

There  is  a  decided  preference  among  experienced  coyote  trappers 
for  the  number  3  "Newhouse"  double-spring  type  of  steel  trap  (see 
front  page) .  The  best  trap  is  the  cheapest  in  the  long  run,  both  because 
there  is  less  danger  of  the  animal  escaping,  and  because  of  the  long 
service  it  is  capable  of  giving. 


BULLETIN  320  CONTROL   OF   THE    COYOTE   IN    CALIFORNIA  385 


WHERE    TO    SET    TRAPS 

Coyotes  usually  follow  fairly  well-defined  routes  on  their  various 
foraging  expeditions,  and  traps  should  be  set,  preferably  to  the  wind- 
ward, near  the  trails  traveled  by  them.  Traps  set  in  the  trail  itself 
will  often  be  spring  by  cattle,  rabbits  or  ground  squirrels.  The  two 
most  important  things  to  aim  at  in  coyote  trapping  are  to  place  the 
"set"  where  the  coyote  will  find  it  and  to  set  the  traps  so  they  will 
catch  the  coyote  when  he  arrives.  Take  time  to  learn  what  trails  the 
coyotes  are  using  before  setting  traps.  A  great  number  of  special 
sets  used  by  professional  trappers  cannot,  for  lack  of  space,  be  given 
here.  Three  of  the  most  widely  used  and  best  types  of  sets  are  given 
as  follows: 


Fig.  2. — Diagram  illustrating  Open  Set.  Traps  shown  in  position  but  not 
bedded. 

Open  Set  (See  Fig.  2). — Select  a  little  open  place  somewhere  near 
the  coyote's  line  of  travel,  where  the  ground  is  loose  and  free  from 
stones.  Secure  a  flat  square-edged  rock  weighing  about  fifteen  pounds. 
Take  baling  wire  and  wire  together  the  rings  of  three  steel  traps,  then 
wire  these  securely  to  the  rock,  which  latter  will  serve  as  a  drag 
and  marker  when  the  coyote  is  caught.  If  the  traps  are  fastened 
to  anything  solid,  which  will  not  "give,"  there  is  danger  of  the  coyote 
pulling  loose  when  he  plunges  about  in  the  trap,  unless  securely 
caught.  If  necessary  to  chain  it  to  a  root  or  stake,  it  is  advisable 
to  substitute,  in  the  place  of  two  links  of  the  chain,  a  stout  steel  coil 
spring  three-fourths  of  an  inch  in  diameter  and  four  inches  long, 
such  as  is  used  in  the  construction  of  a  common  type  of  bedspring. 
This  affords  enough  "give"  to  prevent  the  coyote  pulling  out  of  the 
trap.  Dig  a  hole  deep  enough  to  contain  the  drag.  A  prospector's 
pick  is  handy  for  such  work.  Put  the  drag  in  the  hole  and  place  the 
traps  about  twenty  inches  distant  from  the  drag  so  that  they  will  form 
a  letter  Y  with  the  drag  in  the  center.     Dig  a  pocket  for  each  trap 


386  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

just  deep  enough  so  that  the  set  trap  will  be  level  with  the  surface 
when  covered  with  an  eighth  of  an  inch  of  dirt.  Cover  the  drag  with 
the  dirt  removed  in  setting  the  traps.  Dig  slight  trenches  for  the 
chains.  Set  the  traps,  turn  the  springs  toward  the  bases  of  the  pans 
so  that  the  jaws  will  lie  flat,  and  bed  each  trap  firmly  in  its  pocket. 
Then  cover  the  springs  and  chains  with  dirt.  If  a  trap  springs  too 
easily  take  a  bit  of  fine  straw  about  three-fourths  of  an  inch  long  and 
stand  it  upright  like  a  pillar,  under  the  pan.  Fine  dry  grass  or  wool 
plucked  from  an  old  sheepskin,  placed  loosely  under  the  pan  will  keep 
pebbles  or  clods  from  rolling  under  it,  since  these  are  liable  to  hinder 
or  prevent  the  trap  from  springing.    Another  good  method  is  to  place 


Fig.  3. — Diagram  of  Trail  Set.     Traps  in  position  but  not  bedded. 

a  sheet  of  thin  paper  (orange  wrappers  are  good  in  dry  weather  and 
waxed  paper  in  wet  weather)  over  the  spread  jaws  and  pan.  Cover 
the  edges  of  the  paper  with  dirt  and  then  sift  dirt  through  the  fingers 
(to  remove  clods,  sticks  and  pebbles)  over  the  trap  until  the  paper  is 
covered  evenly  with  about  an  eighth  of  an  inch  of  fine  dirt.  Brush 
lightly  over  the  trap  with  a  bunch  of  grass  or  weeds  or  with  a  fresh 
skunk  skin,  and  tken  scatter  a  few  dead  leaves  and  grass  over  the 
"set"  to  restore  naturalness.  The  use  of  both  scent  and  meat  bait 
at  the  same  time  is  not  recommended.  Scatter  a  spoonful  of  scent  in 
the  center  of  the  ' '  set, ' '  or,  if  bait  is  to  be  used,  scatter  a  small  handful 
of  lard  cracklings,  or  of  scorched  bacon  rinds  cut  into  fine  bits,  about 
the  traps  so  as  to  keep  the  coyote  hunting  about  until  he  steps  into  one 
of  them.  Bait  should  be  used  sparingly.  Coyote  trapping  is  one 
business  where  it  doesn't  pay  to  advertise  too  extensively.  A  jack- 
rabbit  or  chicken  hung  up  in  a  bush  over  a  trap  is  simply  a  danger 
signal  to  a  "  wise ' '  coyote. 

Trail  Set  (See  Fig.  3). — "Wire  three  traps  to  a  rock  drag  as  de- 
scribed in  previous  set.  Locate  a  little  opening,  backed  by  a  rock 
or  bush  at  the  side  of  the  trail.  Dig  a  hole  about  twelve  inches  from, 
and  parallel  to,  the  trail  and  bury  the  drag  so  that  the  top  will  be 


Bulletin  320         control  of  the  coyote  in  California  387 

about  three  inches  below  the  surface.  Set  the  traps  directly  over 
the  drag  and  cover  carefully  with  paper  and  fine  dirt.  Bait  by  bury- 
ing a  piece  of  putrid  meat  or  fish  about  ten  inches  beyond  the  traps. 
The  top  of  the  bait  should  be  just  flush  with  the  surface  when  cov- 
ered. If  fetid  bait  or  scent  be  used,  it  should  be  sprinkled  just  behind 
the  trap  so  that  the  coyote  will  step  into  the  trap  as  he  steps  about 
sniffing  the  scent.  Disturb  the  soil  and  surroundings  as  little  as 
possible  in  setting  the  traps,  and  when  through  brush  out  all  surface 
sign  and  sprinkle  dead  leaves  over  traps  and  bait.  Leave  everything 
looking  as  natural  as  possible. 

Carcass  Set. — The  decaying  carcass  of  a  horse,  cow,  sheep  or  other 
large  animal  usually  attracts  coyotes  and  affords  an  excellent  place 


Fig.  4. — Diagram  of  Carcass  Set  for  ' '  wise ' '  coyotes.  Traps  in  position  but 
not  bedded. 

to  set  traps.  Wait  until  the  coyotes  become  accustomed  to  visiting 
the  carcass,  then  select  a  slight  mound  or  open  place  thirty  or  forty 
feet  from  the  carcass  and  carefully  set  the  traps  as  described  in  Open 
Set,  using  scent  instead  of  bait.  A  useful  variation  of  this  set  is  to 
place  one  trap  near  the  scent  and  then  carefully  set  the  other  two  traps 
from  four  to  ten  feet  away  (see  fig.  4).  These  outside  traps  will  often 
catch  wise  coyotes  that  circle  around  hesitating  to  go  near  the  scent 
or  bait.  No  amount  or  kind  of  scent  or  bait  will  draw  a  "wise" 
coyote  into  a  poorly  set  trap. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  wear  gloves  when  setting  traps.  If  coyotes 
are  very  shy,  set  the  traps  and  leave  them  48  hours  before  baiting, 
since  human  scent  will  be  gone  by  that  time.  Baiting  can  be  accom- 
plished without  leaving  any  trace  of  human  odor  by  pouring  fetid  bait 
or  scent  from  horseback. 

In  many  localities  pack  rats,  kangaroo  rats,  ground  squirrels  and 
other  rodents  keep  springing  coyote  traps.  A  few  spoonfuls  of  strych- 
nine coated  barley,  prepared  according  to  the  government  formula,1 
if  scattered  near  the  traps  will  clean  up  these  interfering  rodents. 


i  Circular  letter  issued  by  Bureau  of  Biological  Survey,  U.   S.  Dept.  Agric, 
June,  1917. 


388  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


DIRECTIONS    FOR    MAKING    FETID    BAIT   OR    SCENT    FOR    COYOTES 

There  are  numerous  formulas  for  making  scent  or  fetid  bait  for 
coyotes.  The  following  method  has  been  used  extensively  by  cooper- 
ative state  trappers  under  the  directions  of  Field  Foreman  J.  0. 
Miller,  of  the  United  States  Biological  Survey,  and  has  been  chosen 
as  the  method  best  adapted  for  general  use  in  California. 

1.  Take  one  gallon  of  well-decayed  fat  fish  which  has  rotted  four 
or  five  weeks  in  a  warm  place  but  not  in  the  sun.  Add  a  little  water 
so  that  the  bones  can  be  removed.  Pulverize  and  strain  through  a  fine 
wire  screen.  Fat  ground  squirrels  or  venison  may  be  used  instead 
of  the  fish  if  run  through  a  meat  grinder  and  then  allowed  to  rot 
for  six  weeks,  during  which  time  the  decoction  should  be  stirred 
occasionally. 

2.  Take  Ys2  ounce  of  powdered  tongking  ("tonquin")  musk  and 
dissolve  it  in  four  ounces  of  95  per  cent  grain  alcohol  for  ten  days. 
Unless  musk  is  dissolved  in  alcohol  it  remains  in  powdered  form  and 
is  liable  to  be  lost.  If  tongking  musk  is  not  available,  use  one  ounce 
of  common  musk  such  as  is  used  for  perfume,  or  one  ounce  dried 
musk  glands  of  the  muskrat. 

3.  One  ounce  of  triple  extract  of  beaver  castor.  If  this  is  not 
available,  dissolve  one  ounce  of  good  gummy  beaver  castor  in  four 
ounces  of  alcohol. 

4.  One-half  ounce  of  pulverized  asafetida. 

5.  One  quart  glycerine,  or  an  equal  amount  of  strained  honey. 
Mix  the  dissolved  musk,  beaver  castor  and  asafetida  (2,  3  and  4) 

with  the  glycerine  (5),  which  latter  helps  to  prevent  evaporation. 
Then  mix  thoroughly  with  the  liquid  decayed  fish  or  meat  (1).  Then 
strain,  bottle,  and  cork  the  bottles  loosely.  When  freshly  bottled  the 
compound  tends  to  blow  the  cork,  but  this  will  cease  after  a  time. 
This  fetid  bait  or  scent  keeps  well;  some  made  six  years  ago  proved 
very  effective  when  used  the  past  winter.  One  ounce  of  fetid  bait 
is  sufficient  for  four  or  five  settings  of  traps. 

The  following  scent  made  from  the  secretions  of  the  coyote  is 
popular  with  professional  trappers. 

Put  into  a  wide-necked  bottle  the  urine,  gall  and  anal  tract  of  a 
freshly  killed  coyote.  Add  water  to  make  four  fluid  ounces.  To  this 
mixture  add  one  ounce  of  glycerine  and  one  grain  of  corrosive  sub- 
limate. Let  the  mixture  stand  for  ten  days  in  a  warm  place,  but  not 
in  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun.  Then  add  one-half  ounce  of  powdered 
asafetida  and  shake  well.    The  scent  is  then  ready  for  use. 


BULLETIN  320  CONTROL   OF  THE    COYOTE  IN    CALIFORNIA  389 


POISONING 

1.  Properly  used  and  safeguarded,  poisoning  with  strychnine  is  a 
valuable  aid  in  coyote  control. 

2.  If  local  or  county  poison  campaigns  be  inaugurated,  the  work 
should  be  done  under  the  direct  supervision  of  the  Predatory- Animal 
Inspector  of  the  Bureau  of  Biological  Survey,  United  States  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture,  or  of  some  other  responsible  person  experienced 
in  such  work.  Indiscriminate  use  of  strychnine  is  illegal,  and  its  use 
by  irresponsible  parties  cannot  be  too  strongly  condemned. 

3.  Poisoning  with  suet  pellets  containing  2  grains  of  strychnine 
enclosed  in  a  gelatin  capsule  is  the  best  method  for  general  use. 
These  pellets  are  deadly,  easy  to  prepare,  economical,  and  convenient 
to  handle.  Directions  for  making  the  poisoned  suet  pellets  are  given 
herewith. 

4.  The  object  of  placing  the  strychnine  in  the  gelatin  capsule  is 
to  conceal  its  bitter  taste.  Enclosing  the  capsule  in  suet,  bacon,  or 
other  grease  insures  protection  from  rain  or  moisture ;  and  the  grease 
covering  also  assists  the  coyote  in  finding  the  pellets  which,  being  small 
and  tasty,  are  swallowed  whole  by  the  unsuspecting  animal. 

DIRECTIONS    FOR    MAKING    POISONED    SUET    PELLETS 

Provide : 

1.  A  handful  of  beef  suet  which  has  been  run  through  a  meat 
grinder. 

2.  A  supply  of  gelatin  capsules  filled  with  2  grains  of  powdered 
strychnine  sulphate.  After  being  filled,  the  capsules  should  be 
thoroughly  wiped  or  dipped  in  alcohol  to  remove  any  of  the  bitter 
strychnine  that  may  have  adhered  to  the  outside. 

3.  A  piece  of  bamboo  %  inch  long  with  a  hole  about  y2  inch  in 
diameter. 

4.  An  old  penholder,  and  a  stick  which  will  just  slide  through 
the  piece  of  bamboo. 

5.  A  wooden  bucket. 

6.  A  supply  of  waxed  paper,  such  as  that  used  in  wrapping  candy 
or  butter,  cut  into  sections  3X4  inches. 

Crowd  the  suet  into  the  piece  of  bamboo  until  the  hole  is  full. 
Then  with  the  end  of  the  penholder  punch  a  hole  in  the  suet  large 
enough  to  hold  the  2-grain  capsule  containing  the  strychnine.  Place 
the  capsule  in  this  hole,  then  with  the  larger  stick  shove  the  suet  plug, 
containing  the  capsule,  out  of  the  piece  of  bamboo.     Roll  the  bullet- 


390  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

shaped  capsule  between  the  palms  of  the  hands,  rounding  the  ends 
and  thoroughly  covering  all  parts  of  the  gelatin  capsule  with  the  suet. 
After  the  suet  pellets  have  been  thus  smoothed  up  so  as  to  be  water- 
tight they  should  be  placed  in  a  wooden  vessel  and  left  uncovered 
in  a  safe  place  for  48  hours  by  which  time  the  human  odor  will  have 
vanished.  After  this  they  should  never  be  touched  by  human  hands. 
The  pellets  should  be  picked  up  with  forceps  and  placed  on  the  sheets 
of  waxed  paper  and  then  rolled  up,  cigarette  fashion,  and  the  ends 
of  the  paper  tightly  twisted.  The  wrapped  pellets  are  then  packed 
twenty  or  forty  to  a  package  and,  when  properly  labeled  poison,  are 
ready  for  distribution. 

To  put  out  the  pellets  without  touching  them,  take  the  twisted 
ends  of  the  waxed  paper  between  the  thumbs  and  forefingers  of  both 
hands  and  unroll  the  package.  Then  with  a  little  twist  of  the  wrists 
the  poisoned  suet  pellets  can  be  flipped  out  on  the  ground  without 
being  touched. 

The  poisoned  suet  pellets  can  be  dropped  by  a  man  on  horseback 
without  leaving  any  telltale  human  scent.  They  should  be  dropped 
at  places  where  coyotes  urinate  or  scratch  up  the  ground,  or  along 
trails  known  to  be  traveled  by  them.  In  putting  out  poison  at  a 
carcass,  place  the  poisoned  baits,  not  in  the  carcass,  but  rather  drop 
them  30  or  40  feet  distant  where  they  will  be  regarded  with  least 
suspicion.  A  record  of  all  poisoned  baits  put  out  should  be  kept, 
so  that  those  not  taken  by  coyotes  may  be  gathered  up  after  being  left 
a  reasonable  length  of  time.  They  should  not  be  strewn  about  pro- 
miscuously, nor  should  they  be  left  out  indefinitely,  a  constant  menace 
to  various  other  fur-bearing  mammals  and  to  dogs, 

A  safe  method  for  a  sheepman  to  follow  is  to  put  out  the  poisoned 
suet  pellets  upon  breaking  camp,  having  first  tied  his  dogs  to  the 
wagons  or  pack  animals.  Then  after  the  poison  has  been  put  out,  the 
sheepman,  with  dogs  still  in  leash,  may  move  to  a  new  site,  leaving 
the  coyotes  to  find  the  poisoned  suet  pellets  in  the  camp  refuse. 

SHOOTING 

This  method  of  destruction  is  of  particular  value  where  certain 
individual  coyotes  are  killing  pigs  or  stealing  chickens  and  their 
speedy  destruction  is  therefore  urgent.  Coyotes  ordinarily  return 
to  such  free  lunch  counters  quite  regularly  and  hence  they  may  be 
waylaid  and  shot  with  fair  success  when  once  their  habits  are  known. 
A  "30-30"  or  similar  rifle  is  of  service  in  this  connection,  since  the 
coyotes  are  usually  keen  enough  to  keep  out  of  the  range  of  a  shotgun. 


BULLETIN  320  CONTROL   OF  THE    COYOTE  IN    CALIFORNIA  391 


LOCATING    DENS 

Coyote  dens  may  be  best  looked  for  during  the  months  of  May 
and  June.  To  be  of  value  in  control  campaigns,  breeding  dens  must 
be  located  before  the  young  quit  them.  These  may  be  found  by 
''lining"  the  tracks  of  the  female,  made  as  she  carries  food  to  the 
young.  This  is  accomplished  in  a  manner  similar  to  that  by  which 
bees  are  lined  to  a  bee  tree.  The  female  coyote,  however,  rarely  if 
ever  goes  straight  to  the  den,  but  if  she  is  watched,  or  her  tracks  fol- 
lowed for  a  few  days,  it  will  be  found  that  all  of  the  various  trails 
center  at  the  breeding  den.  A  person  is  therefore  often  able  by 
encircling  a  supposed  den  site  to  ' '  pick  up ' '  tracks  made  by  the  female 
and,  by  noting  the  general  direction  of  a  number  of  such  radiating 
trails,  determine  the  approximate  location  of  the  breeding  den.  The 
success  of  this  method  is  obviously  dependent  upon  the  topography, 
and  upon  the  nature  of  the  soil,  which  may  make  tracking  hard  or 
easy. 

Having  secured  the  approximate  location  of  the  den,  the  exact  site 
it  often  revealed  by  trampled  vegetation  and  numerous  footprints 
of  the  coyote  pups  after  they  have  become  large  enough  to  play  at 
the  entrance  to  the  den. 

Dens  containing  young  are  sometimes  found  late  in  the  day  and 
the  discoverer,  returning  the  following  day,  and  proceeding  to  dig 
out  the  den,  is  likely  to  find  to  his  chagrin  that  the  young  have  been 
removed  by  the  mother  during  his  absence.  If  such  dens  must  be 
left  for  any  length  of  time  the  entrances  should  be  tightly  closed  with 
rocks,  and  a  coat  or  other  article  of  wearing  apparel  which  carries 
human  scent  hung  on  a  stick  over  or  near  the  den  to  frighten  off  the 
returning  parent. 

OTHER  METHODS  OF  CONTROL 

In  certain  counties  in  the  northwestern  part  of  the  state,  coyotes 
have  been  controlled  over  considerable  areas  by  the  erection  of  coyote- 
proof  fences.  This  method  has  proved  successful  during  the  past  ten 
years  on  the  5600-acre  sheep  range  of  J.  H.  Clarke,  six  miles  southwest 
of  Laytonville,  Mendocino  County.  The  Clarke  ranch  is  decidedly 
hilly,  and  it  is  well  watered;  about  one-half  of  the  area  is  thickly 
forested.  Herding  sheep  in  large  flocks  is  impracticable  here  on 
account  of  the  rugged  nature  of  the  country.  Several  types  of  fences 
have  been  tried  on  the  Clarke  ranch,  the  two  most  satisfactory  being 
&  redwood  stake  fence  and  a  heavy  woven  wire  fence.    Materials  for 


392 


UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 


the  stake  fence,  namely  redwood  posts  and  split  redwood  stakes,  are 
close  at  hand  and  this  type  of  fence  seems  to  have  solved  the  coyote 
problem  at  this  particular  point. 

It  consists  of  split  redwood  stakes  approximately  four  inches  wide, 
one  and  one-fourth  inches  thick  and  six  feet  long,  driven  one  foot  into 
the  ground  at  a  season  when  it  is  wet,  and  are  placed  three  inches 


Fig.  5. — Diagram,  of  coyote-proof  redwood  stake  fence.     This  type  of  fence  is 
particularly  adapted  to  rough  ground. 


apart.  A  heavy  No.  9  galvanized  wire  is  fastened  to  the  eight-foot 
redwood  posts  which  are  set  an  average  distance  of  thirteen  feet 
apart.  Each  picket  or  stake  is  then  lashed,  near  the  top,  to  the  heavy 
wire  by  a  light  No.  13  wire,  and  two  heavily  barbed  wires  fastened 
to  the  posts  at  points  three  and  nine  inches,  respectively,  above  the 
top  of  the  pickets.     (See  fig.  5.) 

The  woven  wire  fence  is  fifty-two  inches  high.  The  top  and  bot- 
tom wires  are  No.  10,  the  middle  wires  No.  12,  and  the  cross-wires 
No.  13 ;  all  are  galvanized.  The  mesh  in  this  fence  is  triangular,  and 
this  feature  is  important.  Square  mesh  fence,  especially  the  welded- 
joint  type,  proved  unsatisfactory  because  it  would  not  "give"  suf- 
ficiently in  crossing  gullies  and  sharp  ridges  to  follow  the  contour 
of  the  ground.     A  barbed  wire  is  fastened  all  along  at  the  bottom 


Bulletin  320 


CONTROL   OF   THE    COYOTE   IN    CALIFORNIA 


393 


of  the  posts,  three  inches  underground.  Two  other  barbed  wires,  the 
sharper  and  more  numerous  the  barbs  the  better,  are  fastened  to  the 
posts  three  and  nine  inches  above  the  top  of  the  woven  wire.  (See 
fig.  6.) 

The  Clarke  ranch  is  cross-fenced  into  several  fields,  and  where  the 
fence  crosses  ditches  or  streams   a  sluiceway  of  redwood  boards  is 


Fig.  6.— Diagram  of  coyote-proof  woven  wire  fence,  adapted  to  regular  slopes 
and  even  ground. 

constructed  to  carry  the  water  beneath  the  fence.  A  wooden  gate 
is  hung  across  the  sluiceway,  closing  the  opening  beneath  the  fence. 
This  gate  is  hinged  to  swing  down  hill  and  thus  let  the  water  through. 
Coyotes  are  afraid  of  such  swinging  gates,  but  they  do  sneak  inside  the 
fence  and  kill  sheep  when  they  find  a  place  where  stakes  have  been 
knocked  out  by  a  bear  or  some  careless  hunter.  The  fence  is  there- 
fore watched  by  the  owner,  and  the  presence  of  a  coyote  inside  soon 
detected.  A  good  pair  of  fox  hounds  keeps  any  trespassing  coyote  on 
the  move  and  soon  drives  him  from  cover,  to  be  shot  or,  sometimes, 
if  hard  pressed,  to  escape  over  the  top  of  the  fence.  Steel  traps  are 
also  used. 

The  cost  of  the  redwood  stake  fence,  as  described  above,  varied 
from  about  $350  to  $400  per  mile.  Redwood  stakes  rot  off  at  the 
ground  in  from  25  to  30  years  and  then  have  to  be  resharpened  and 


394  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

redriven.  The  woven  wire  fence  would  cost  about  the  same  as  the 
stake  fence,  and  may  be  expected  to  last  as  long  with  considerably 
less  danger  of  damage  by  fire. 

Fencing  against  coyotes  is  impracticable  on  the  open  sheep  range 
in  most  parts  of  California,  but  in  certain  hilly  sections  where  herding 
is  difficult  and  where  redwood  for  fencing  is  near  at  hand,  this  method 
has,  as  stated  above,  proved  of  decided  value. 


COYOTES    VERSUS    DOGS 

The  average  ranch  dog  is  worthless  as  a  coyote  destroyer.  A  single 
dog  is  at  a  disadvantage  since  two  or  more  coyotes  may  lie  in  wait  for 
him.  However,  there  are  wellknown  instances  where  a  brace  of  wolf 
hounds  or  a  pack  of  fox  hounds  has  "cleaned  up"  the  coyotes  in  the 
vicinity  of  ranches.  It  is  a  difficult  matter  to  combine  the  use  of  traps, 
strychnine  and  dogs  without  disastrous  results  to  the  dogs. 


THE    DANGEROUS    BOUNTY    SYSTEM 

In  1919  twenty-eight  counties  in  California  offered  bounties  on 
coyotes  ranging  in  amount  from  one  dollar  in  Mono  County  to  twenty 
dollars  in  Sonoma  County  (see  map,  fig.  7).  A  conservative  estimate 
based  on  the  returns  of  several  years,  places  the  average  amount  paid 
out  for  coyote  bounties  in  this  state  at  about  $40,000  per  year.  Vary- 
ing widely  in  the  different  counties,  the  bounty  system  has  been  sub- 
ject to  frequent  change  and  abuse.  A  typical  county  ordinance 
provides  that  the  affidavit  necessary  to  secure  the  bounty  may  be  made 
before  any  officer  authorized  to  administer  oaths.  In  other  words  this 
official,  often  unfamiliar  with  the  animals  in  question,  is  the  only 
person  required  to  pass  on  the  identity  of  the  scalp  or  scalps  presented ; 
and  the  law  provides  that  all  scalps  (evidence)  be  destroyed  at  this 
time.  Many  bounties  are  thus  allowed  through  simple  error  and  it  is 
believed  that  much  money  is  wasted  in  this  manner. 

If  the  bounty  system  must  be  used  at  all,  correct  identification  of 
skins  should  be  insured  by  insisting  that  the  whole  skin  be  presented 
for  bounty;  indeed,  in  doubtful  cases  the  skull  should  be  produced. 
At  the  time  the  bounty  is  paid  the  skin  should  not  be  cut  in  any  man- 
ner which  will  tend  to  decrease  its  value  in  the  fur  market.  Instead 
of  cutting  off  the  hind  feet,  it  is  a  better  plan  to  require  that  the 
bones  (radius  and  ulna)  of  the  right  fore  leg  be  left  attached  to  the 
skin,  in  order  to  bring  the  bounty.     These  leg  bones  are  detached 


Bulletin  320 


CONTROL   OF   THE    COYOTE   IN    CALIFORNIA 


395 


when  the  bounty  is  paid.  This  sj'stem  would  protect  all  counties 
against  paying  two  bounties  on  the  same  skin,  and  it  would  leave  the 
skin  intact. 


Fig.  7. — Map  showing  bounties  on  coyotes  offered  by  counties  in  California. 
December  1,  1919.  Counties  which,  pay  bounties  are  shaded.  Figures  indicate 
amount  in  dollars  of  bounty  paid  per  coyote.  Note  wide  range  of  bounty:  $1.00 
in  Mono  County  to  $20.00  in  Sonoma  County. 

The  bounty  system  is,  at  best,  well-nigh  futile;  this  is  well  illus- 
trated by  the  coyote  act  of  our  own  state,  which  went  into  effect 
March  31,  1891,  and  was  suspended  September  30,  1892,  after 
$187,4852  had  been  expended  and  little  had  been  accomplished.     It 


2  T.  S.  Palmer,  Yearbook  U.  S.  Dept.  Agrie.  for  1896,  p.  60. 


396  UNIVERSITY    OF    CALIFORNIA EXPERIMENT    STATION 

is  the  opinion  of  those  who  have  made  a  study  of  this  question  that 
the  bounty  system  is  not  only  vastly  expensive  and  productive  of 
endless  fraud,  but  that  in  no  known  case  has  it  given  any  general  or 
permanent  relief. 

CO-OPERATIVE    COYOTE    CAMPAIGNS 

Two  of  the  more  progressive  counties  of  the  state,  both  vitally 
concerned  with  the  coyote  problem,  are  now  carrying  on  cooperative 
coyote  control  work  with  the  Federal  Government  through  the  Bio- 
logical Survey,  which  agency  is  also  carrying  on  predatory  animal 
control  work  in  seven  other  counties  of  the  state.  It  is  the  author's 
belief  that  the  cooperative  method  is  much  superior  to  the  bounty 
system.  In  support  of  this  opinion,  it  may  be  stated  that  the  cooper- 
ative method  of  handling  the  coyote  problem  has  been  recently 
thoroughly  tried  out  in  Nevada.  According  to  the  biennial  report 
of  the  State  Rabies  Commission  of  Nevada  for  1917-1918  this  method 
has  been  found  to  be  much  superior  to  the  bounty  system.  Under 
this  plan  the  work  is  carried  on  upon  a  50-50  basis.  A  competent 
inspector  of  the  Biological  Survey  has  charge  of  all  trappers  in  a  given 
district.  The  trappers  are  chosen  from  among  the  best  coyote  trap- 
pers in  the  state  and  are  paid  a  regular  salary  which  varies  according 
to  experience,  success  and  equipment.  They  are  not  allowed  to  accept 
bounties  from  any  source  and  must  turn  in,  properly  prepared,  all 
skins  taken  by  them.  The  pelts  thus  obtained  are  sold  at  public 
auction  and  the  money  divided  between  the  general  fund  of  the  county 
and  that  of  the  United  States  Treasury,  respectively.  The  trappers 
are  required  to  account  for  a  reasonable  number  of  predatory  animals 
each  month  and  to  trap  where  coyotes  are  known  to  be  doing  the 
most  damage.  In  many  instances  the  fur  practically  pays  the  trap- 
pers' wages. 

PREPARATION    AND    CARE    OF    COYOTE    PELTS 

To  be  of  greatest  value  in  the  fur  market  coyote  pelts  should  be 
prime  (taken  between  December  1  and  February  15)  and  prepared  as 
follows : 

1.  The  skin  should  be  cased,  not  flat;  that  is,  in  skinning,  the 
opening  cut  should  be  made  from  the  sole  of  the  foot,  down  the  back 
of  each  hind  leg  to  the  base  of  the  tail;  also  the  tail  should  be  split 
its  whole  length  and  the  bone  removed. 

2.  All  dirt,  grease,  cockle  burs,  blood  clots  and  other  foreign 
substances  should  be  washed  or  combed  out  of  the  fur. 


BULLETIN  320  CONTROL   OF   THE    COYOTE  IN    CALIFORNIA  397 

3.  All  pelts  should  be  thoroughly  fleshed;  that  is,  all  fat  and 
adhering  pieces  of  meat  scraped  from  the  flesh  side  of  the  skin. 

4.  Each  ear  should  be  skinned  out  so  as  to  turn  inside  out  clear 
to  the  tip,  in  order  to  prevent  "slipping"  of  the  hair  on  the  ears. 
The  cartilage  should  preferably  be  left  in,  attached  at  the  rim. 

5.  The  pelt  should  be  dried,  flesh  side  out,  on  a  stretching  board, 
in  an  airy,  shady  place.  Before  it  becomes  entirely  dry  it  should 
be  turned  fur  side  out  and  thenceforth  kept  that  way. 

6.  If  coyote  pelts  are  to  be  kept  for  several  months  they  should 
not  be  left  hanging  over  a  beam  in  a  shed  or  building  to  be  ruined  by 
moths  and  dermestes.  They  should  be  fumigated  by  placing  them  in 
a  tight  box  together  with  a  saucer  nearly  full  of  carbon-bisulphide. 
Care  should  be  taken  to  keep  all  exposed  lights  away  from  the  explosive 
carbon  -bisulphide  fumes.  The  pelts  will  then  be  safe  from  insect  pests 
for  months  if  left  in  the  box. 


10m-4,'20 


STATION  PUBLICATIONS  AVAILABLE  FOR  FREE  DISTRIBUTION 


BULLETINS 


No. 

168.  Observations   on    Some   Vine   Diseases 

in   Sonoma   County. 

169.  Tolerance  of  the  Sugar  Beet  for  Alkali. 
185.   Report  of  Progress  in  Cereal  Investi- 
gations. 

208.   The  Late  Blight  of  Celery. 
230.   Enological  Investigations. 

250.  The  Loquat. 

251.  Utilization  of  the  Nitrogen  and  Organic 

Matter    in    Septic    and    Imhoff   Tank 
Sludges. 

252.  Deterioration  of  Lumber. 

253.  Irrigation   and   Soil   Conditions  in  the 

Sierra    Nevada   Foothills,    California. 
257.   New   Dosage   Tables. 

261.  Melaxuma    of    the    Walnut,     "Juglans 

regia." 

262.  Citrus   Diseases   of   Florida    and   Cuba 

Compared  with  Those  of   California. 

263.  Size  Grades  for  Ripe  Olives. 

266.  A  Spotting  of  Citrus  Fruits  Due  to  the 

Action    of    Oil    Liberated    from    the 
Rind. 

267.  Experiments  with  Stocks  for  Citrus. 

268.  Growing  and  Grafting  Olive  Seedlings. 

270.  A  Comparison  of  Annual  Cropping,  Bi- 

ennial Cropping,  and  Green  Manures 
on  the  Yield  of  Wheat. 

271.  Feeding  Dairy  Calves  in  California. 

272.  Commercial   Fertilizers. 

273.  Preliminary  Report  on  Kearney  Vine- 

yard Experimental  Drain. 

274.  The  Common  Honey  Bee  as  an  Agent 

in  Prune  Pollination. 

275.  The  Cultivation  of  Belladonna  in  Cali- 

fornia. 

276.  The  Pomegranate. 

277.  Sudan  Grass. 

278.  Grain   Sorghums. 

279.  Irrigation  of  Rice  in  California. 

280.  Irrigation  of  Alfalfa  in  the  Sacramento 

Valley. 

281.  Control  of  the  Pocket  Gopher  in  Cali- 

fornia. 


No. 

282. 

283. 

285. 
286. 


290. 

293. 
296. 
297. 
298. 
299. 

300. 
301. 

302. 

303. 
304. 

305. 

307. 
308. 


309, 

310 
311 
312. 
313. 

314. 
316 
317 

318 
319, 
320 


Trials  with  California  Silage  Crops  for 
Dairy  Cows. 

The  Olive  Insects  of  California. 

The  Milch  Goat  in  California. 

Commercial  Fertilizers. 

Potash  from  Tule  and  the  Fertilizer 
Value  of  Certain  Marsh  Plants. 

The  June  Drop  of  Washington  Navel 
Oranges. 

Sweet   Sorghums  for  Forage. 

Topping  and  Pinching  Vines. 

The  Almond  in  California. 

Seedless  Raisin  Grapes. 

The  Use  of  Lumber  on  California 
Farms. 

Commercial  Fertilizers. 

California  State  Dairy  Cow  Competi- 
tion, 1916-18. 

Control  of  Ground  Squirrels  by  the 
Fumigation  Method. 

Grape  Syrup. 

A  Study  on  the  Effects  of  Freezes  on 
Citrus  in  California. 

The  Influence  of  Barley  on  the  Milk 
Secretion  of  Cows. 

Pollination  of  the  Bartlett  Pear. 

I.  Fumigation  with  Liquid  Hydrocianic 
Acid.  II.  Physical  and  Chemical 
Properties  of  Liquid  Hydrocianic 
Acid. 

I.  The  Carob  in  California.  II.  Nutri- 
tive Value  of  the  Carob  Bean. 

Plum  Pollination. 

Investigations  with  Milking  Machines. 

Mariout  Barley. 

Pruning  Young  Deciduous  Fruit 
Trees. 

Cow-Testing  Associations  in  California. 

The  Kaki  or  Oriental  Persimmon. 

Selection  of  Stocks  in  Citrus  Propaga- 
tion. 

The  Effects  of  Alkali  on  Citrus  Trees. 

Caprifigs  and  Caprification. 

Control  of  the  Coyote  in  California. 


No. 

50. 
65. 
70. 

76. 

82. 

87. 
109. 


110. 
111. 

113. 
114. 
115. 
117. 

124. 
126. 
127. 
128. 
129. 
130. 
131. 
133. 


CIRCULARS 
No. 


Fumigation   Scheduling. 

The  California  Insecticide  Law. 

Observations  on  the  Status  of  Corn 
Growing  in  California. 

Hot  Room  Callusing. 

The  Common  Ground  Squirrels  of 
California. 

Alfalfa. 

Community  or  Local  Extension  Work 
by  the  High  School  Agricultural  De- 
partment. 

Green  Manuring  in  California. 

The  Use  of  Lime  and  Gypsum  on  Cali- 
fornia  Soils. 

Correspondence  Courses  in  Agriculture 

Increasing  the  Duty  of  Water. 

Grafting  Vinifera  Vineyards. 

The  Selection  and  Cost  of  a  Small 
Pumping   Plant. 

Alfalfa  Silage  for  Fattening  Steers. 

Spraying  for  the  Grape  Leaf  Hopper. 

House  Fumigation. 

Insecticide  Formulas. 

The  Control  of  Citrus  Insects. 

Cabbage  Growing  in  California. 

Spraying  for  Control  of  Walnut  Aphis. 

County  Farm  Adviser. 


135.  Official  Tests  of  Dairy  Cows. 

136.  Melilotus  Indica. 

137.  Wood  Decay  in  Orchard  Trees. 

138.  The  Silo  in  California  Agriculture. 

139.  The    Generation   of   Hydrocyanic   Acid 

Gas      in     Fumigation     by     Portable 
Machines. 

140.  The  Practical  Application  of  Improved 

Methods  of  Fermentation  in  Califor- 
nia Wineries  during  1913  and  1914. 

143.  Control    of    Grasshoppers    in    Imperial 

Valley. 

144.  Oidium  or  Powdery  Mildew  of  the  Vine. 

147.  Tomato  Growing  in  California. 

148.  "Lungworms". 

152.  Some  Observations  on  the  Bulk  Hand- 

ling of  Grain  in  California. 

153.  Announcement  of  the  California  State 

Dairy  Cow  Competition,  1916-18. 

154.  Irrigation  Practice  in   Growing   Small 

Fruits  in  California. 

155.  Bovine  Tuberculosis. 

156.  How  to  Operate  an  Incubator. 

157.  Control  of  the  Pear  Scab. 

158.  Home  and  Farm  Canning. 

159.  Agriculture  in  the  Imperial  Valley. 

160.  Lettuce  Growing  in  California. 


CIRCULARS — Continued 


No.  No. 

164.  Small  Fruit  Culture  in  California.  190. 

165.  Fundamentals   of    Sugar    Beet   Culture  193. 

under  California  Conditions.  195. 

167.  Feeding  Stuffs  of  Minor  Importance. 

168.  Spraying    for    the     Control    of     Wild  197. 

Morning-Glory  within  the  Fog  Belt. 

169.  The    1918   Grain   Crop.  198. 

170.  Fertilizing     California     Soils     for     the  199. 

1918   Crop.  201. 

172.  Wheat  Culture.  202. 

173.  The    Construction    of    the    Wood-Hoop 

Silo.  203. 

174.  Farm  Drainage  Methods.  204. 

175.  Progress  Report  on  the  Marketing  and 

Distribution   of  Milk.  205. 

176.  Hog  Cholera  Prevention  and  the  Serum  206. 

Treatment.  207. 

177.  Grain    Sorghums.  208. 

178.  The  Packing  of  Apples  in  California. 

179.  Factors   of     Importance   in    Producing  209. 

Milk  of  Low  Bacterial   Count.  210. 

181.  Control     of      the     California     Ground  211. 

Squirrel.  212. 

182.  Extending  the  Area  of  Irrigated  Wheat  213. 

in   California  for   1918.  214. 

183.  Infectious  Abortion   in   Cows. 

184.  A  Flock  of  Sheep  on  the  Farm.  215. 

185.  Beekeeping   for   the    Fruit-grower    and  216. 

Small  Rancher  or  Amateur. 

187.  Utilizing  the   Sorghums.  217. 

188.  Lambing  Sheds. 

189.  Winter  Forage  Crops. 


Agriculture  Clubs  in   California. 

A  Study  of  Farm  Labor  in  California. 

Revised  Compatibility  Chart  of  Insecti- 
cides and  Fungicides. 

Suggestions  for  Increasing  Egg  Produc- 
tion in  a  Time  of  High-Feed  Prices. 

Syrup  from  Sweet  Sorghum. 

Onion  Growing  in  California. 

Helpful  Hints  to  Hog  Raisers. 

County  Organization  for  Rural  Fire 
Control. 

Peat  as   a  Manure   Substitute. 

Handbook  of  Plant  Diseases  and  Pest 
Control. 

Blackleg. 

Jack  Cheese. 

Neufchatel   Cheese. 

Summary  of  the  Annual  Reports  of  the 
Farm  Advisors  of  California. 

The  Function  of  the  Farm  Bureau. 

Suggestions  to  the  Settler  in  California. 

Saving  Raisins  by  Sulfuring. 

Salvaging  Rain-Damaged  Prunes. 

Evaporators  for  Prune  Drying. 

Seed  Treatment  for  the  Prevention  of 
Cereal  Smuts. 

Feeding  Dairy  Cows  in  California. 

Winter  Injury  or  Die-Back  of  the  Wal- 
nut. 

Methods  for  Marketing  Vegetables  in 
California. 


